Stonethwaite to Grasmere

Day 3 – Monday 11 June

Mileage: 9.5 miles

On our previous Coast to Coast walk we had arrived in Stonethwaite wet and when we left the next morning it had been bucketing down. It was , therefore, nice to step out of the door into sunshine. A slate sign on the pub wall wished us a happy walk in sunny Borrowdale it looked like we might be lucky.

The paths were dry!  This time we weren't having to cross streams running down the path and we could see, all around us the views going up through Borrowdale were gorgeous. 

We had started to notice something a little unusual about our walk this year. Last year we seemed to come across more walkers on this section. We remembered a stream of people climbing up to Lining Crag and Greenup Edge, today there was just the two of us.

At the top of Lining Crag the mobile phone I carry in case of emergencies, like our clever alarm calling me to advise that someone is breaking into the flat,  suddenly rang – it is difficult getting a signal anywhere on the C2C, as Kev discovered last year as he tried to post daily reports onto our website, but here on top of a hill in the middle of the lakes my phone had got a signal for the first time since setting off.  We stopped for a breather whilst I listened to my phone messages – they were all from Kev’s mum, worried as she did not know where we were.  I passed my phone to Kev for him to remind her that we had as planned gone on holiday and she didn't have to ask the police to go and knock on our door to see if we were ok but we were at that moment sitting on top of a hill in the peace and quiet of the Lake District. 

It seemed odd to listen to Kev having a phone conversation, a reminder of the outside world, while I sat enjoying the views from the top of the hill.  Then as I looked around I noticed a couple walking on the opposite side of the valley. quite a distance away, going back and forth along the track they were following. We checked the map, no path was shown, they had obviously lost the path and meandered about following sheep tracks. If they were doing the C2C they had missed a turn and should have been on our side of the valley, it was feasible that they were just doing a day walk heading for another hill or valley, in which case they had missed that turn as well. We just sat there watching them going along one sheep track, looking at the map, then back along another sheep track, up one down another, it must have been very frustrating for them. Eventually we got bored of this and set off again towards Grasmere. The path to Greenup Edge last year had been very boggy, full of running streams.  This year was so different – the path was very dry and we could actually see where we were heading, we had views!.

We soon arrived at the point where the path to Grasmere splits giving you a choice of either a high or low route.  We stayed there for a few minutes, enjoying the sun and views, we had all day to get to Grasmere so no need to rush.  A jogger came past, soon disappearing up a path behind us before we spotted him again on a distant ridge.

A young girl who had been sat at the junction of paths when we first arrived started to wander down the valley path into Grasmere then, wandered  back up, keenly looking at the path heading up to the ridge then turning around and finally set off very hesitantly down the low route, we followed shortly after also opting for the low route -  the same route that we had taken last year, inspired by the memories of water cascading down the pretty valley and lovely waterfalls.  Part way down the path came the first stumble of the journey.  My foot slipped and down I went, banging my elbow painfully on the rock behind me.  Fortunately I was soon up again, though I would have some gorgeous bruises to show for my accident. 

The young girl was now making her way back up the path towards us! We asked her if she was ok  and got little reply – perhaps she had decided to go for the high route after all. 

Unfortunately, due to the relatively dry weather the waterfalls were not as splendid as the previous year and I was now wishing that we had done the high level route.  Too late to turn back we carried on down the valley from where we could see several people walking across the ridges on the hills above. 

After stopping at a bridge to admire the view and enjoy the sun we headed down into Grasmere. The path eventually leaves open countryside and joins a lane into town a gate had been left open, 3 sheep had taken advantage and were now enjoying their freedom and the tender grass of someone's lawn..  We pondered, in that sort of Townie's way, assuming that there is one farmer who owns the sheep out on the hills, over whether we should inform someone or alert the farmer to the fact that his sheep were wandering around someone's garden..  We met a chap walking the other way and asked him if he was local.  He said he wasn’t but that there was a farmer just down the road on the other side of a hedge who probably was.  We wandered over, trying to get the farmer's attention as he drove around his field on a tractor.  Eventually the farmer came over, you could just see the 'another couple of townies coming over to tell me some sheep were eating the daffodils' look all over his face, needless to say he wasn’t too impressed to be told about the loose sheep – nor did he look too impressed when Kev leant on the farmers nice rusty gate only for the hinges to creak dangerously and break as it lurched forward. Time to get the orange plastic cord out then!

Making a quick exit we headed on into Grasmere.  As we looked behind us we could see the lone girl walking along behind us through a field on the other side of a small stream.  She had obviously made good time across the high ridges and waded across a river or perhaps had another change of mind and followed the valley after all.

The lane took us straight to our hotel – The Red Lion – a Best Western.  It had a pool – and I was delighted to see, our room had a balcony, just big enough for two chairs with a view of the the kitchens below, still, it was nice to sit out and enjoy the sun.

Last year we had bypassed Grasmere, choosing instead to continue on to Patterdale,  it turned out to be a very long day! This time we had planned a more leisurely approach and after dropping our gear in the room set off to explore Grasmere – civilisation, time for a bit of shopping. Kev had failed to pack any spare underpants so he was hoping to buy some new ones and check out whether they had got a chip shop.  Kev had been promising me chips and mushy peas all day, and I was looking forward to a bit of carbohydrate loading!  Grasmere is very small, living off it's connection with Wordsworth and to be honest I was quite disappointed with it.  No chip shop just overpriced cafes all of which were scheduled to close at 5 pm and it was now 4.45. Still Kev got his underpants.  They only had large so they weren't exactly figure hugging and I bought a new waistcoat, just in case it got chilly, little did I know that this was going to be the best purchase and decision I had ever made!

 We decided to eat in the bar attached to the hotel.  A big mistake!  They did not have much vegetarian choice – let alone gluten free, but after analysing the menu we thought that we could concoct something from what they had on offer so, I ended up ordering two of the side-dishes a jacket potato (with butter) and a plate of salad. 

Then the concocting, as they had other dishes made out of various ingredients we thought it would be possible to ask for something to go with the potato and make it more filling and attractive.  Kev asked whether it was possible for any cheese to be added, they had cheese in several meals and as part of sandwiches so the kitchen was likely to have some in the fridge.  The bar man said he would check but  was then curtly told by the manageress, who obviously thought that we were deaf and unlikely to hear her,  that “the menu could not be changed under any circumstances, the chef doesn't like changing the fixed menu”. So, unable to put a hand in the fridge and slice some cheese, the Jacket potato doesn't come with anything and we can't add anything. Which we thought was quite nice service in this modern age where customers are meant to be appreciated, not! 

However maybe fame is just around the corner for the chef, the last time we had such a response was in more glamorous surroundings about 10 years ago, we had a meal with a couple of actresses, Ally Sheedy and Rhada Mitchell who were in London promoting a film. The restaurants chef, a young Marco Pierre White refused to take bacon out of a salad - the closest thing to a vegetarian option on the selective menu. When we asked if we could just have the salad bits the waiter advised in a slight false French accent - 'well i weeel ask im but the chef doesn't lika vegetarrians!' In the end though the masterchef took the bacon out of the salad. The restaurant, The Titanic, sank shortly afterwards.

Back to the Red Lion.  The side salad when it arrived was very limp and sad looking, served with coleslaw. It looked like something you would get in a very naff seaside cafe in the 1970's, so much for being in the countryside with fresh ingredients all around. Heck we are beginning to sound like food critics! All we need now is a bit of atmosphere. Well it was obvious the owners of the hotel realised that the decor was still stuck in the 70's because they had signs all over promoting the new look restaurant due to open later in the year. The potato? On its own, sans fromage? Was quite bland a little hard and slightly grey.  All in all a very disappointing meal but oddly enough made better for the sheer comedy factor of what happened during the time we were in the bar.

Kev went up to the bar and asked what wine they had' by the glass', the barman raised a large wine glass in the air. Kev was slightly confused, could it be some strange custom? Maybe Wordsworth had written a sonnet about wine and in Monty Python style the bar staff raised a glass symbolically in the air every time wine was mentioned as a mark of respect to the great poet? Kev asked again, 'what wine do you do by the glass'. The barman again raised the glass - but this time he spoke, Kev looking in amazement at the barman with cherished glass in hand, was he about to impart some great words of wisdom? glass held high he uttered ' it comes in this size'.

By now we realised that the locals might not get out of town a great deal. Eventually Kev got his glass of wine.

They could have been forgiven if it happened once but we witnessed the same thing happen a few moments later with someone else who headed back to her companion, glass in hand, with a bemused look on her face mouthing the words 'it comes in this size'.

That evening Kev filled in a complaints form and left it at the reception. The owner of the hotel called us several days later when we next had a signal, resting on the bed in a great hotel in Richmond and way past caring, he had been trying to talk to us every day after we left, 'so', he questioned, 'they wouldn't add cheese to the potato?'  'No' 'well, that's a simple thing to do isn't it?' 'yes' 'I will have to have a word with the chef' 'that would be good, but a little late' ' you must have thought you had gone back 30 years?' ' yes'  'well to apologise how would membership of our club and free newsletter and some vouchers off your next meal, next time you stay at the hotel, sound?' 'OK' - If you work at the Red Lion in Grasmere and happen to be reading this, please tell the management to stop sending us the newsletter - we aren't coming back!    

Breakfast was equally amusing.  Anyone for rock hard poached eggs?

Kevanliz@aol.com